Only One: The Mario Kart Challenge, Book 2
by HappyHowler4myLuver
Summary: Nintendo released the most anticipating news to the world. The masterminds have decided to stage a Mario Kart challenge to participating teams around the world in an effort to restart the phenomenon. Does your team have what it takes? *Sequel*
1. Episode 1

Disclaimer: I own nothing of Nintendo.

Nintendo released the most anticipating news to the world. The masterminds have decided to stage a Mario Kart challenge to participating teams around the world in an effort to restart the phenomenon. Create a team of eight, based off the characters available in the latest DS version of the classic game, and race your way through the brackets to win. The top two teams from each participating country will fly to Japan to compete for the grand prize of creating their own racetrack for the upcoming version of Mario Kart. Does your team have what it takes?

***PB***

The neon 'T' flickered horribly, attracting and deflecting insects in multiple seconds. Three cars sat in the parking lot of Carlos Tacos, that now read Carlos acos on the sign depending on the moment, and each one belonged to an employee.

One employee working was the regular, part-time cashier, who currently drummed his fingers on the counter in an apathetic mood. The second employee sat in the kitchen, hoping to go home since the late night rush had passed an hour or so ago. She sighed, leaning against the wall, hoping to catch a nap before the assistant manager checked rounds.

The final employee sat in the back, cursing her life. Lillian Taylor played around on her computer, chatting with random friends on Facebook for entertainment while the restaurant turned into a ghost town. She now sat in her old desk, the title of 'assistant manager' carved into her name tag. Her promotion didn't last long after Jason announced his leave. However, in Mr. Honaday's rule book, she fired him, cutting their workers down and therefore demoting herself back to assistant manager to keep up with the jobs that needed accomplished. A piece of hair fell down her line of sight and she blew it back.

Suddenly, the front door opened, and she knew from the commotion from the other two employees that their boss had arrived. Within moments, her conjecture proved true. Robert Honaday stepped into the back office, offering Lillian a small grin before setting up his work station.

"Slow night?" he inquired, starting up his computer. She nodded.

"Yes, I think our last customer came by about an hour and a half ago."

He seemed deep in thought, considering her report. "Well, we haven't met our quota for the day. We'll have to stay open a little longer to catch the later crowd."

"We've already caught the later crowd, Mr. Honaday. No one else is coming." He stopped working and looked at her. "Besides, you've already stretched the others and now you're just giving them more money working while we have no customers paying to support our revenue. We're doing nothing but losing money at this point."

Mr. Honaday took off his reading glasses, rubbing his eyes. "We need more employees. The ones we still have are exhausted and have more cash than they know what to do with. However, we don't have time to train a whole new patch of kids. We need some of our old employees to return and fast."

"Right," Lillian replied, clicking on a Microsoft Access file and skimming through recent quitters. "You've got Sandy Brown, Bobby Gonzales, Julio Vasquez…"

"I was thinking more along the lines of Jason Rowles." Lillian stopped reading, holding back the bubbling anger. "He's good. He worked here for a long time, and he was about to be appointed Lead before someone fired him."

"Sir, I didn't mean—"

"Yeah, I know," he interrupts, standing up. "We never _mean _to fire employees, it just _happens._" He places his hands on her desk, leaning slightly over. "Lillian, you lost me one of my best employees. Now it's your turn to get him back. Call him, text him, email him, write him a letter, Facebook him, I don't care what you do! Just get Jason Rowles back before this whole tournament thing goes to his head, understood?"

"Yes sir." She stares at the screen solemnly, assessing her task. Mr. Honaday steps away and proceeds to his other workers, preparing to let them off for the remainder of the night. Lillian, however, pulls up any information the system still has on her least favorite employee. All her hard work to make him stay and she ended up firing him. Now, she'd pay for her mistake by begging him to return.

She knew he'd never agree, but then again, she didn't know how much Honaday was willing to offer to get him back.

***PB***

Jason leaned back in his chair, contemplating his team. It'd been just over two weeks since Only One qualified for the City Round of the Mario Kart Tournament. Names had been drawn the past weekend, signifying that the racers for the first day of Round 1 to be Charlotte, Elliot, Connor and himself. The next day on September 7th would be Mitchell, Jackie, Danny, and Cassie. From there, the individual state contest runners would determine how to narrow the vote from the current eight teams to the top four to be sent to state and from there the top four of the state would be sent to the regionals.

The leader reviewed the Flower Cup, quite familiar with all the tracks at this point in the game. Thankfully, he knew every race like the back of his hand since problems had seemed to explode since the day of Only One's qualification. Jackie and Cassie (the Princesses as Elliot referred to them as) were growing increasingly intolerant of the crude jokes stated by Danny and supported by Mitchell. Connor remained relatively distant with everyone, making it feel as though the team consisted of only seven racers. Elliot continued to deal with shortcomings as his entire participation and use of home computer remained a secret to his mother. Despite an alliance with his sister Courtney, their excuses started running slim. Charlotte received last-minute news that she wouldn't be able to stay in the Metroplex and returned to Corpus Christi until her scholarship came in and she could transfer to a school in one of the three cities. The news ruined Jason's plan to work closely with another racer, which was a large reason for choosing Charlotte as a co-captain.

On his end, Jason's money was quickly depleting, and if he didn't find a job fast he'd end up living in his Camry. However, due to Jackie's growing concern for his wellbeing, he'd been reluctant to inform the team of his termination. She'd rather forfeit the tournament than have him live homeless.

The clock on his laptop turned to noon, and he withheld a sigh as he received a Skype invitation from Cassie. He joined to find the Princesses, Elliot, and Charlotte gathered.

"We need to talk," Cassie informed him. "I understand Danny's good, but we can kick his ass any day. His sexist comments _have _to stop before I hunt him down and introduce him personally to my foot."

Jackie agreed, though not utilizing the same words. "He insists that women are inferior, and I won't tolerate listening to his vulgar remarks any longer. He has to stop, or he has to go. Make a decision, Jason."

Their Mario groans, running his hands down his face in exhaustion. To ease his pain, Elliot steps up to the mic. "Listen, all we need to do is sit him down and explain to him that we live in the 21st century now. After all, he's gaining his power from his support from Mitchell. We get Mitchell on our side, and he should lesson up."

"Exactly!" Charlotte agreed. Although she didn't like Danny's idea of men's superiority anymore than the Princesses, she was quite content bagging on men in a round of vice versa. In her own mind, she found Jackie and Cassie's own actions degrading. In order to stop a man, they go to another. "Let him join this conversation and we'll talk to him about it. If not, we'll buy a plane ticket and Cassie will beat him senseless until, well until the sense gets knocked into him."

Elliot grinned at her logic. "You are so brilliant."

Charlotte sighed, but still touched by his compliment. "Focus, Elliot."

Jason jumped in, feeling awkward at the idea of a good friend hitting on his unofficial sister. "Right, we need to concentrate. If it's fine with you galls, we can see if he's online and Skype him. But not until we speak with Mitchell. He has to be aware that merely supporting Danny is making him appear sexist as well."

"But we already knew he was," Cassie murmured as Jason called up his second co-captain.

"He's not sexist, Cassie," Elliot interjected. "Merely cocky and vain, which causes him to act superior to any creature with legs."

Jason shushed them as Mitchell answered the call. "Hey, we need to talk." Knowing his team would be eavesdropping; he stepped away from the computer and stepped into his bedroom.

"Are you breaking up with me, Jason? After all we've been through?"

"Come on now, we wouldn't have gone through anything if not for you and your troubles."

Mitchell pauses a moment. "This is true, my friend. What's going on?"

"It's the girls." Jason waits while his Bowser moans at the mention of his fellow racers. "You know Jackie and Cassie are losing their patience with Danny, and if we want to cease his sexist jokes you have to stop laughing at them."

"What if they're true?"

"Mitchell."

"Okay, I get it! Not funny jokes. But we can't just gang up on the guy, and then he'll split the group."

"I doubt it. He wants to win more than any of us, if just for the sake up standing as the victor. Leaving us will result in a harder struggle than putting up with two princesses."

Mitchell grinned slyly. "And what about your princess?"

"I said Ja—what do mean?" he caught, but before giving himself away.

"I meant Charlotte, your new best friend. Who did you mean?"

Jason bit his tongue to hold back his sharp retaliation. "No one. I meant no one. Should we call Danny now, or later?"

"I guess later, unless he does it again. Perhaps he knows he's reached his limit and stop his actions. That would piss off Cassie, but I've never really liked her anyway."

Jason nodded, seeing his logic. "So is there a girl who do like?"

"I like yours. Oh wait, Jackie's single."

"Bye, Mitchell," Jason ended, slamming the phone closed. Despite how far he packed his emotions, Mitchell knew just how to bring them to the surface. He'd never met the girl, how could he like her in a way that was more than friends? Of course, he knew Jackie would never consider Mitchell in a dating-way, but that didn't automatically count him out right?

Realizing he'd performed a circle in his head, Jason slipped the phone in his pocket and returned to the Skype call. Upon reentering, he found four of his teammates in a battle: Cassie against Charlotte, with Jackie and Elliot on the appropriate sides.

"It should bother you!" Jason heard Cassie nearly scream. He debated terminating his end of the call to avoid the drama for the night.

"It does, and it is offensive, but turning to another guy because this guy's being sexist doesn't make much of a case for you," Charlotte retaliated, completely calm. Despite her quick annoyance when they joked around, Jason knew her well enough to understand how she felt about arguing with others. She'd rather let the other person win than continue in a dispute completely based on opinions. Cassie, however, seemed to be thriving on the squabble.

"If he's actually sexist, then he won't listen to a bunch of girls!"

"And if he's actually sexist, he wouldn't have joined our team with three girls on it."

"There were only two here before you came along."

"What does my addition have to do with any of this?"

"Ladies!" Jason interrupted, stopping the turn the conversation was slowly heading in. "Arguing is getting us nowhere. I've spoken with Mitchell, and I will talk to Danny personally. We cannot go into this competition against one another. I understand we weren't placed to work together because we were long-time friends. This tournament will require patience and tolerance, and _losing a few battles_. There are eight of us; we can't keep going the way we have been. For now, let me see how everyone feels about everyone else, and we can sort this out." Jackie and Charlotte agreed, more so out of liking and respect than his actual words. Cassie remained firm in her ideas until Jackie slowly started convincing her to loosen up. Eventually, only Elliot and Jason remained on Skype. Elliot ended the call only to video conference him back in. Jason accepted the call and dropped his head onto the desk once the video flashed up.

"So, who do you drop? The fiery chick or the apathetic monster?"

Despite his low energy, Jason laughed, bringing his face up to answer the question. "I can't drop either, Elliot. They're both strong racers. I just have to ease them into a tolerant state and keep them there until the end of our run." His head cascaded back down.

The New Yorker smiled meekly. "So, we have to keep those two short-fuses together for the next three months?"

From the top of the desk, he muttered, "Don't include numbers." Elliot laughed. Jason lifted his head again. "Thanks for choosing Charlotte, by the way."

The young man shrugged. "No biggie. I prefer Cassie personally, but with Jackie on her side, I thought I'd help our lost soul." Jason raised his eyebrows. "She's a girl playing a guy, what's up with that?" Jason chuckled, shaking his head.

"But she matches Luigi, at least personality wise."

"Yeah, long, lean, and brunette." He took a drink of a soda as Jason laughed again.

"You're gonna kill yourself with all that Coke."

"At least it's a slow drug. And it doesn't talk back like your women do, or at least your woman's best friend."

Although slightly annoyed, Jason remained too exhausted to correct him. "You ready to race tomorrow?" Elliot nodded. "Good, get some sleep."

"It's only just past one o'clock Jason."

"Right. Good night."

***PB***

Connor waited as Jason finished his pep talk via Skype, although he noted the weariness he heard in his captain's voice. However, he needed to concentrate on the race and nodded to each point Jason presented until they logged off the video call. Connor then turned on his DS and connected to the wireless server. He agreed to the terms and ran his mind through every track in the Mushroom Cup, although he didn't really need to since he raced in the same cup for the qualifiers. He knew these specific circuits contained many curves, allowing him to execute the best of R.O.B. The images running through his head paused when he reached Luigi's Mansion, and he remembered the tension between Charlotte and Cassie.

As the dreaded track's movie played on his screen, he wondered why the girls couldn't get along. As the countdown flashed overhead, he realized that it was Cassie who always started the rows, though he couldn't determine her dislike for the eighth racer. The 'START' sent him shooting away with his boost, and R.O.B. cruised down the worn rode until he drove up the steps to the abandoned mansion. He landed a green shell and fired it immediately, knocking out the leader and allowing him to slip into the first spot. As he turned down the rigid hallway, Connor's mind continued to think of Cassie, hoping to recall a memory that would help him understand her animosity.

He didn't speak with his teammates too often. He preferred to remain on the outside, knowing the general traits of the racers and staying clear of the drama. However, his mother had raised him on moral values, and in his eyes Cassie had no reason to detest their Luigi player. He debated joining this particular battle, but only this one. He refused to grow attached to these strangers.

R.O.B. glided around the obstacles and drove back into the swamp land, still in the lead. Two characters were closing in on him, but he wouldn't lose on a track he'd dominated once in this competition. He aimed for another item box, pleased when he discovered a banana bunch. He dragged them behind his cart, immediately spinning out the first racer who neared his cart. The second remained distant, but Connor knew he wouldn't wait long. He released two of the peels, frowning when the adept player dodged them both without a hitch. R.O.B. immediately shifted to an angle as he drove through the swamp, keeping an eye out for the closest racer. Just as the player neared, he released a banana peel. In an effort to dodge the yellow danger, he veered away—only to crash into one R.O.B. continued to drag.

Connor grinned as he finished up the first lap and continued cruising. He released the final peel as he drove into an item box. No one seemed to be close, puzzling him more than anything else. However, he took advantage of the eerie silence to decipher the emotions of Cassandra. He found himself with an attraction to the sharp-tongued girl. She spoke her mind, but needed a lesson on respect. She wasn't easily swayed by other's ideas, but her own needed some tweaking. He tried to think back to every Skype call they shared as a team, but that was usually when she watched her mouth. He debated calling Jason after finishing his race, perhaps he'd hear some hints that would lead him to discover the truth.

Out of nowhere, another cart sped toward R.O.B. He doubled-over before firing the red shell from behind. The cart flipped over, leaving the robot alone again. Connor shook his head as he exited the mansion again. _What has this world come to? Here I am, trying to figure out the greatest mystery in modern time and they keep flying up on me. What rudeness. _R.O.B. tilted his cart as he drove through the murky waters. He hit two patches of land, sliding past a row of item boxes without bothering to grab anything. Finally, the road returned and R.O.B. drifted back onto the green dirt. The road curved again before he raced past the starting line. Second lap completed.

Once again in the top spot, Connor allowed his mind to linger over thoughts of Cassie, but more so now over the entire team. He'd wondered from day one how he ended up on this particular team. A strong, but inexperienced leader; a loud-mouthed jock; a polite and elegant princess; a wise but young boy; a fiery girl hiding a secret; a troublemaker bent on stretching his teammates; a smiling, but questionable young woman; and himself, a mute who thinks too much. They really were nothing more than a group of misfits with the same vision. They all wanted to get to Japan, and they all wanted to win.

Could they really win with all their dysfunction? Did they stand a remote chance later on, against unified teams and strong backbones? Alone, each of his fellow racers might actually stand a chance at getting to the top. However, stick them together, and they instantly jeopardize the entire tournament. Connor reviewed this logic in his mind, only to discover it was completely illogical. But Only One proved it to be true.

R.O.B. drifted around the mansion without a care in the world, keeping every other racer at bay. He returned to the dark night outside and swerved around the banana peels littering the track. He wondered if perhaps his two from the beginning remained. The ROB-BLS slid in the muddy terrain, sending the questionable goo flying in every direction. He reached the first patch of land and straightened out before venturing back out into the swamp. The robot creature played around some more before discovering the track and driving toward victory. R.O.B. drove past the finish line, claiming first for Luigi's Mansion as well as the Mushroom Cup. Connor set down the console on his desk.

He wanted to win. He wanted to get to Japan. He wanted to design his own Mario Kart racetrack. Unfortunately, with his team divided, he wouldn't get far before someone ruined his shot. He waited until the last player finished the race and the results played on the screen before picking up his phone. He needed to sort out the current dilemma and help unite his team, if only for the moment. He composed a short text message and sent it out. No one would stop him from achieving his goals, not even a team of misfits.


	2. Episode 2

Disclaimer: I own nothing of Nintendo

Nintendo released the most anticipating news to the world. The masterminds have decided to stage a Mario Kart challenge to participating teams around the world in an effort to restart the phenomenon. Create a team of eight, based off the characters available in the latest DS version of the classic game, and race your way through the brackets to win. The top two teams from each participating country will fly to Japan to compete for the grand prize of creating their own racetrack for the upcoming version of Mario Kart. Does your team have what it takes?

***PB***

The sun shone brightly as the music of the waves could be heard in the near distance. The small town quickly came to life as the buildings' windows reflected the blinding light and the sellers packed the food stands. Mario sat in first place at the starting line as the video ended for Delfino Square.

Jason revved his engine at the '2' and flew away from his opponents once the 'START' flashed. The B Dasher drove smoothly over the cobblestone road and swerved around the large fountain in the square. Mario dived in between the row of apartments, hitting an item box and landing a banana peel, and turned the two corners before cutting left. Two other carts followed him while the rest continued straight. He released the yellow fruit, spinning out Daisy. The colorful homes blurred past him as he turned another corner and drove down a curvilinear path until landing on the same road as the other five drivers. Still in first, he drove over the bridge and sharply turned left again.

Luigi and Peach remained in the second and third places. His virtual brother almost passed him numerous times, but Mario maintained his rank as they drove through the town and landing another group of items. This time, he came up with a green shell. He fired the weapon backwards, doubting the shell would hit someone before diving over the end of the road and into the ocean, and continued toward the moveable bridge. For the moment, the bridge sat flat and Mario drove over every boost, zooming onto the zigzagged cobblestone walkway and back onto the main road. Luigi remained directly behind him with Peach a few spaces behind as they passed the starting line. Just as the brothers drove up the hill, a blue shell halted their race and spun out Peach in the process.

Toad managed to pass the trio while Peach regained her previous speed. Mario and Luigi took slightly longer to recuperate but restarted the race just as Donkey Kong arrived. Jason fought with Luigi until he finally overtook him in the square and stole down the alleyway. The B Dasher veered left until Mario turned the cart onto his favorite path and swerved to the right. He returned to the main road just as Toad turned onto it and found themselves neck-in-neck as they entered the main area of town. Mario, driving to the left of Toad, turned sharply enough to bump Toad into a food stand and steal first place back. Luigi took second, but Peach fell to fourth as the mushroom hurried off in the direction of the plumbers.

Mario turned the right corner and drove through a fake item box. He flipped once before dropping shakily to the ground and watched as Luigi and Toad passed him. Mario started driving as Peach slid next to him. Without even acknowledging her, he bumped into her hard enough to push her into the water. Jason grinned, thinking of Jackie, and chased down his brother and fungi friend.

He drove over the now raised bridge. He boosted to the top and flew onto the pathway on the opposite side. Mario landed with a thud but drove down the cobblestone and beside Toad. They followed the tortuous road until turning onto the beginning road and passing the starting line again. This time, Mario ranked in second, tied with Toad.

Jason increased his speed by pressing more firmly on the 'A' button and managed to gain a solid place above Toad. He detoured around the insanely large fountain and proceeded into the narrow lane between the buildings. He focused on the item boxes and landed a red shell. Now concentrating on Luigi, Mario altered his usual path and continued straight rather than turning down a separate alley. He fired his shell and it smacked into the Poltergust 4000 perfectly, crashing Luigi into the side of an apartment and allowing him to reclaim his initial status.

However, Toad remained close behind, with Peach gaining speed. Mario drove through the market, avoiding the edge in case his opponents attempted to utilize his own trick against him, and took a sharp turn to the right. He followed the path to the moveable bridge, currently being lowered, and managed to hit every boost. Jason felt his mind wandering over the reasons Delfino Square would need a movable bridge with no boats around and cleared his head. He followed the renewed cobblestone path and heard two engines following close behind. Mario returned to the main road when he heard the unmistakable _whish _of a blue shell. Hurrying, he found himself a second away from crossing the finish line when he was attacked. Thankfully, his momentum pushed him forward enough to grant him first place.

Jason set down the game console, stretching. However, the loveseat wasn't quite long enough for his body and he pushed his feet over one arm and his head over the other. Finding the position uncomfortable, he returned to the original and picked up his red DS. He pressed the 'A' button until the next scene played, and he moved around one final time to ensure his comfort before the next race.

***PB***

"You're gonna win, right?"

"Of course. Don't forget—I'm better than you."

Without a reply, Jason hung up the phone, too lazy to start an insult war. Charlotte chuckled and set down the cell on her dresser, trading in the communication device for the gaming console. She flipped open her DS, taking a seat at the computer. As she waited for both to start up, she gazed casually out the window and watched the waves crash onto the rocky beach. The smell of the water wafted in from her screen and she felt a pang of guilt, knowing she shouldn't be in Corpus at all. However, her grandparents' house wasn't large enough for her to stay for an extended period of time. She had no choice but to return to her parents while she waited on a letter from her college.

She agreed to the rules and waited until the others followed suit. After the last few weeks of racing during almost every second of her spare time, she was confident on nearly every racetrack. As all eight players consented, the screen blacked out and the first track of Star Cup received its debut. DK Pass wasn't terribly difficult—all she needed to do was avoid any objects her enemies might fling at her as well as the random snowy attacks and she'd sail easily into first place.

The racers piled behind the starting line, with Luigi resting in third place. The countdown concluded and Luigi raced away, along with Daisy, Yoshi, and Peach. They drove under the ice tunnel where Wario caught up to the group and slammed Luigi harshly, sending him flying in the direction of the wall. Yoshi, in an attempt to pass a princess, miscalculated his speed and drove right into a snowman. Luigi regained his momentum and cleared the tunnel, following the twisted mountain path and shockingly watched as the players scrambled to avoid a banana peel dropped by the leader. Wario failed and nearly spun out over the edge. Keeping an eye on her crazed opponents, Charlotte drove through the upcoming group of item boxes and landed a banana peel as well. Luigi released the fruit of destruction and veered out of the way of a falling snowball. It took out two other racers. Charlotte couldn't decide whether the racers were amateurs or just blind. She decided theirs skills or lack thereof could be determined later and drove through another box, this time a bomb.

Luigi neared the end of the mountainside and dropped the bomb from behind, taking out three drivers. Now only Daisy and Peach remained ahead. The Poltergust 4000 arrived back on snow and continued dropping down the numerous potholes and miniature cliffs. Just as Luigi neared Daisy, Yoshi flew out of nowhere and knocked his cart aside, throwing him off course. Growing amused, Charlotte resumed her play and landed a red shell just before flying off another plateau. As Luigi turned the corner, bumping and sliding, Charlotte started laughing as she saw both Daisy and Yoshi hit the next group of snowballs. Peach almost reached the ramp but was hit with Luigi's red shell and immediately following the same large snowball that took out Daisy and Yoshi.

By now, Charlotte had moved on from confusion to laughter as she tried to reason the probability of this many players getting hit by the track's own defense in a single lap. Luigi flew off the ramp and toward the group of snowmen. Thinking she was an expert, Charlotte weaved through the defense mechanism with ease, but as Luigi started straightening out, Peach flew past, finishing up the lap in first place. Charlotte was sure her jaw had dropped.

_This might just be fun._

Luigi remained behind the blonde princess, chasing her down from an infuriating distance. Despite her efforts, Charlotte couldn't reach the pink cart. Fortunately, someone else felt her frustration for as Luigi grabbed another item box, still ridiculously far from the leader; a blue shell zoomed overhead and knocked out Peach. Luigi easily glided around the puzzled princess and drove narrowly out of danger of the falling snowballs. However, just as he started leaving the mountainside, a red shell ran into him, allowing Daisy and Yoshi to pass him. After a momentary pause, Luigi took off again, following the trail of the two ahead of him. He followed the twisting path of the plateaus and landed another banana peel.

Saving the assistance, Charlotte laughed as a snowball rolled over Daisy's cart. However, the humor only lasted a second before Peach swung back in the picture and bumped into Luigi, causing him to swerve sharply and drive straight into a snowball. Frowning, Charlotte focused on catching up to the others when Peach shoved Daisy aside and both ran into a wall. Laughing again, Charlotte directed her cart to fly over the ramp and away from the snowmen altogether. Luigi finished the second lap not too far behind Yoshi.

Planning to end the race his way, Luigi hurried through the ice tunnel and onto the mountainside. He easily dodged Yoshi's green shell and released his own weapon. He drove through an item box and was presented with a red shell. Smiling, Charlotte released the shell and followed the curvilinear path a final time. Yoshi spun out from the red shell, but also lost control of the cart a second too long and a snowball ran him over. Luigi glided around him and proceeded toward the cliffs and hills.

Just as Luigi neared the last group of item boxes, a blue shell erupted. Charlotte hurried to regain her control but in that short time Peach and Daisy sailed past her. The Poltergust 4000 drove through another item box, this time with another red shell. Saving it, Luigi drove down every drop and sped toward the ramp. For the first time, no one was hit by a snowball. Luigi landed back on the ground and released the red shell. The weapon attacked Peach, allowing him to barely pass her and cross the finish line. However, Daisy had finished first long ago.

Charlotte leaned back in her chair, stumped. _So not only are my specific racers insane, they're legitimately good. _As the ranks appeared on the screen, Charlotte knew Jason would chew her out for her eight points. However, if she could make first place for the remainder of the cup, she'd walk away the victor. Charlotte reviewed the top three racers online, and realized if she could actually beat these racers it'd be a miracle.

***PB***

Elliot reviewed his team's status. Thanks to Charlotte's insanely skillful opponents, their team rested at 116 points. They remained in first, but if the remainder of the racers compared to Charlotte's, he'd be in for a tough round.

He chose his racer and cart and agreed to the terms and conditions. He was great at the Special Cup, and Wario Stadium was one of the simplest tracks, sort of. Either way, Elliot was good—he knew worrying about his own skills would be his ultimate weakness. Unlike Charlotte, he chose to focus on the strengths of his adversaries.

Of course, like every other racer in the entire tournament, Elliot knew the only way to accurately access a person's driving skill was to observe how they raced on the track. As the media for Wario Stadium started, he rested comfortably in fifth place, waiting for the countdown to end and the race to begin. Yoshi's engine roared to life before the cart took off, along with Waluigi, R.O.B., and Wario. With his heavy cart, Wario slammed into Yoshi sending him to the opposite side of the track. Peach and Dry Bones passed him as he lost his train of thought and the dinosaur sprang to life, following the curves of the track until he caught up with the other five racers. He knew Jason would be throwing a fit if he was watching the live feed.

Elliot passed Dry Bones easily and snagged a red shell. He waited until Peach faded from his immediate view and fired the weapon. The shell rammed into Waluigi, causing him to sink into sixth place as the others whipped by him mercilessly. Yoshi snuck into third place as they drove up the hill and boosted to the other side. He managed to grab another item, this time a green shell. Firing it from behind, he took out Dry Bones who had been riding his ass since he gained third place. Now, he had only three immediate racers to contend with. He followed the elongated left turn until they all arrived at the tar pit. Yoshi made a deliberate effort to slam Peach away from the islands to ensure his own quick trial. He landed all four boosts and arrived at the opposite end with Wario and R.O.B.

They followed another long, left turn and drove toward the steep hill simultaneously. Wario, in the middle, easily slammed the other two into the wheel of fire. Fortunately for Yoshi, he merely slid further into the track but continued up the second hill. R.O.B. slid over the hill and into another pit. Wario maintained first place as Yoshi closed in on him, as well as Waluigi, Peach, and Dry Bones. Once again, he had four to face off before he could manage first place.

The drivers arrived at the winding road, once again with two wheels of fire to either avoid or shove opponents into. Elliot remained far from Wario and Waluigi and took his chances with the fire as opposed to the tar. He succeeded in passing the first and landed another item, this time a bomb. He released it immediately, blowing up the carts of Peach, Dry Bones, and Waluigi. Smiling, Elliot continued his chase on Wario as they both abandoned the winding road and reentered the original track. This time, three steep hills awaited them, and Yoshi imitated the same actions as Wario. They both landed with a sharp thud as they turned sharply right and over the wavy hills. Yoshi stole an item box and found himself with a fake box. He fought against the angle and managed to sneak just ahead of Wario. He threw away the fake item box, grinning as Wario toppled over and allowing him to slide right into first place, for the first time officially.

He drove up the long stretch and flew toward the finish line. Lap 1 complete.

Only two more to go.

Elliot weaved around the track as Waluigi and Peach slowly caught up to him. Now _he _would be the center of their focus as they raced to their victories. Yoshi landed a banana peel, releasing it but not halting either of his immediate opponents. Without warning, R.O.B. resurfaced and passed the others to steal second place. He groaned, uncomprehending to why they wouldn't let him be.

He drove up the boost and landed a green shell. He waited until the others landed before firing his item. All easily dodged and the robot threatened to take the lead. Yoshi fought to keep his rank as they neared the first tar pit. Quickly accessing who could send him packing with a single slam, Yoshi avoided Waluigi and R.O.B. and sailed onto each individual islet. However, as he drove over the final boost and flew toward land, Waluigi slammed into him and shot him at an angle too sharp for the boost to last. Yoshi now used every bit of his cart's power to inch his way out of the muck and back onto the road. He finally reentered the race in fifth place when Wario flew out from nowhere and took fourth.

Biting his lip, Elliot pushed his cart harder, knowing that if they couldn't even handle these punks they could go ahead and kiss their dreams goodbye. He managed to land another red shell and knock aside Wario. Now, he only had Waluigi, Peach, and R.O.B. to contend with. He found himself back at the winding road and sped down the track. He avoided the first flame wheel and drove through an item box. He fired the bomb forward without aiming, but somehow managing to take out Peach. He continued on, closing in on the final racers. The remainder of the race continued to be a contest of Yoshi, R.O.B., and Waluigi. From then on, not even Peach and Wario could intrude on their contest. It would come down to the dinosaur, the robot, or the doppelganger.

Yoshi finished up the second lap in second place. R.O.B. appeared just ahead, and Waluigi would be catching up soon enough. Elliot continued the constant battle, hoping to land some luck with an upcoming item. However, all three were given a shell or a banana peel. Yoshi drove up the first steep hill and found himself equipped with a fake item box. He released it without waiting for the next group. Waluigi dodged it expertly but perhaps it would slow down Peach or Wario. They weaved through the turns, avoided the wheels of fire, and slammed each other into every tar pit they arrived at. Yoshi, at the last moment, lands a red shell and sends R.O.B. out of first and straight to third.

Grinning victoriously, Elliot continued over the wavy hills, bidding his farewells to his opponents. He drove over the final hill and landed on the other side, thinking how much competition his direct challengers were when suddenly a blue shell exploded and sent him sprawling out of control. R.O.B. and Waluigi glided past him, and he barely managed to cross the finish line before Peach appeared out of nowhere. The race was over.

***PB***

"This isn't good. We've only got 150 points at the end of the first half. The next team behind us has 134—a hundred and thirty-four points! They're only sixteen points away from catching us! This is only the city rounds. If we can't handle these gamers now, we have no chance going any further," Jason finished, listening intently to his teammate's responses through the Skype group call. Elliot was the first to directly reply.

"It's not our fault you and Connor got the easy racers."

"Yeah," Charlotte argued. "My opponents weren't just skilled, they were _insane_. I swear, those are the people who grow up to criminals or mental institution patients."

"Unless they already are," Mitchell muttered.

"Okay, I understand, but that shouldn't surprise us. Imagine how these racers would react at the nationals. At that point, they have a solid chance of making it to Japan and accomplishing what the rest of us are merely hoping for. You've got to act like every racer you come up against is the best you've ever seen and treat every race like it's the track that determines if you fly to Japan or not. If we get blown away now, we won't even touch the state championships."

The racers of Only One remained relatively silent, contemplating the actual truth in his impromptu speech.

Cassie spoke up next. "If the rest of the racers are like Charlotte's and Elliot's, and we can't make it passed thirty-six or thirty-four points, will we still be in the running?"

Jason shrugged to himself. "What would it matter? It city kicks our ass, we won't even have dreams of making it to internationals." Cassie accepted this answer, staying quiet. Once Jason was sure no one else desired to speak, he concluded his moral booster. "Listen, I know none of us were expecting this kind of ferocity early on, but this is Nintendo we're talking about. They've been in this industry since our parent's played video games. They're well aware of the insanity that has yet to ensue over this tournament, and we have to be prepared for anything and everything our competition will throw at us. We have what it takes to win, and as the commercial's all say; only one can win."

"It's like it was fate," Elliot replied.

"Or a really bad cliché," retorted Jackie, causing agreement from the girls.

"Either way," Jason interrupted, "we're going to be the winners. And the entire world will come to know Only One as a household name by the end of this tournament."

The entire team cheered to his last statement, envisioning the future after the competition.

"Now, to end my fabulous pep talk, Danny will be racing first tomorrow. Be prepared, everyone, and let's show these kids how real racers compete. Only One out."


	3. Episode 3

Disclaimer: I own nothing of Nintendo

Nintendo released the most anticipating news to the world. The masterminds have decided to stage a Mario Kart challenge to participating teams around the world in an effort to restart the phenomenon. Create a team of eight, based off the characters available in the latest DS version of the classic game, and race your way through the brackets to win. The top two teams from each participating country will fly to Japan to compete for the grand prize of creating their own racetrack for the upcoming version of Mario Kart. Does your team have what it takes?

***PB***

"So how'd your race go earlier? I haven't gotten a chance to watch any of them thanks to work," Cassie inquired, wedging the phone between her ear and her shoulder as she attempted to clean the dishes. She tried every effort to shake her short hair over to hide the cell but it wasn't quite the right length.

"It went well. Nearly got creamed by the player racing as Mario, though," answered Jackie. "Place first with thirty-eight points."

"Better than Elliot's," she muttered. Her companion laughed when another call attempted to come through. Hurrying to dry her pruned fingers, Cassie pulled the phone away from her ear and read Elliot's name on her screen. "Speak of the devil, he's calling me."

"Ooo, I think he likes you Cassie!" Jackie squealed, fascinated by any hint of love. The independent racer shook her head.

"Let's hope not. Call you later." She hung up the phone just in time to answer his call. "What's up?"

"I was calling to check up on you, love," he replied, causing her to groan with annoyance. "How's our angry diva doing today?"

"Not now, Elliot. I'm at work."

"But you answered."

"And I can hang up."

"Fine, okay, give me a few minutes. You won't even have to talk!" he persuaded, waiting a moment to listen for the signal that the call had ended. When he continued to hear the clank of glass he started his speech. "This tournament is one of the coolest experiences I've ever had. I don't want to hear Jason complaining that the girls don't get along, or our two troublemakers are starting fights again, or that we have no idea whether our quiet racer even acknowledges our existence or not. I won't handle anything to pull this team apart."

"So why call me?" Cassie interjected.

"Because you can help stop these entire problems, and you know it. You don't like Charlotte and no one can understand why; you're the main arguer whenever Danny starts another quarrel; and you don't speak to anyone outside your circle. Now, I have no problem dealing with Danny, and I can easily talk with Connor and make sure he's feeling welcome. However, Jason wants his girls on more than a tolerance status and quite frankly I agree. Two girls against each other can cause a rift in the entire team."

Cassie fidgeted with a heavy pan until she gave up and dropped it back in the sink. She wiped a hand on her apron and held the phone. "Elliot, I don't have anything against Charlotte."

Elliot leaned back in the computer chair, eyeing the clock cautiously. "Could've fooled me. Listen," he continued as she broke in, "I honestly don't care what you're hiding, and I don't care what exactly happened or is going on. I hate acting like an asshole to you my dear, but both myself and Jason can see that you don't like her and we need you to sort out your problems and fast. Our team has a long way to go before we're unified, and we don't have time for unspoken issues. Call her up, talk to Jason, confide in Jackie, or you could even call up Mitchell and vent to him. He's a pretty good listener if you yell at him first. Just get this taken care of before Jason notices you're not putting in an effort to unite the racers." He hung up; hurrying to check how much time remained before his mother returned.

Cassie held the cell a moment longer before slowly sliding the device back in her pocket. Her boss walked in, said something to which she acknowledged, and left. She couldn't remember a word he'd told her, but she knew she needed to finish so she could race later that day. She faced the large pan and focused on cleaning.

Just as she turned the water on, her phone vibrated. Quickly checking around, Cassie pulled out the phone and read Heather's name on the screen. A text message from her original teammate. She grinned, remembering the pact they'd made about winning the tournament and not even a few months later she quit mercilessly. However, as she snuck into the back room to call, Cassie knew she'd need to keep playing the games to keep her secret. Any plans to tell Charlotte her true emotions would need to happen under her terms, and not anyone else's.

***PB***

Mitchell cheered as he won his third race for the Leaf Cup. After some struggles, he'd managed to maintain his rank, but with only twenty-eight points. He needed to up his game, but he wasn't sure how. Some racers still hadn't finished, and as he debated checking out some stats on the site a knock came at his door. Muting his volume, Mitchell answered and spun around in his chair to face his parents.

"Mitchell, we need to discuss your performance in your classes," his mother started, smiling slightly. However, his father expression stared into Mitchell's own eyes, firm and perhaps even disappointed. Shrugging, he set down the DS console on the desk and told them to continue.

"Son, your grades from your first year slipped considerably from high school," his father announced. "Due to college being independent—an extremely stupid idea—your mother and I need to know these scores will be higher this semester or there will be dilemmas."

Mitchell paused, puzzled. "But I did well my freshman year. I passed every class, not a single C anywhere."

"Yes, and we're proud you're not failing," his mother interjected. "Unfortunately, you received more A's in high school, and we've been racking our brains trying to understand why you're grades weren't as high as before. After some discussion, we've finally come up with a solution." She smiled widely, as though discovering why her son wasn't up to her standards made her eligible for a parenting award. He realized the actions didn't suit her whatsoever.

Mitchell swallowed, afraid to ask any further. His father didn't wait for a reply.

"While you lived under our roof—which we don't have plans to revert back to, of course—you followed our rules. The largest that stated video games could not be played until the grades were brought home, and only then for a short amount of time, seemed to be the one changed most drastically since you've moved out." Mitchell sat silent, fearfully curious as to what plans they possessed. "Now, we know you are an adult—if only by the law—and so we can't force to follow the rules because we cannot punish you. However," he concluded, suddenly excited, "we can take away our financial aid for you if you do not cease playing these wastes of time."

"What?" Mitchell exclaimed, jumping from his chair. "You can't do that!"

"We can, and we shall if you continue to allow your grades to suffer." His father took an obvious moment to glance behind his son. "The rule takes place immediately. So long as you are under my roof again, the games are out." He turned suddenly, leaving his son's room. Mrs. Ferguson waited a moment before meeting Mitchell in the middle as he started toward her.

"You can't let him do this! There's nothing affecting my grades besides the fact that college is tougher than high school. Everyone knows that!" he hissed, trying to announce his thoughts without alerting his father.

Mrs. Ferguson nodded. "I know, I understand. However, your father isn't handling the whole let-you-live-life-your-way thing. He thinks he's the expert on teenagers and how all are the stereotyped punks they show on TV." Mitchell turned away, returning to his desk. "Give him time to cool off and I'll bring him around. If I went against him from the beginning, I wouldn't be able to help you stay addicted to your drug." She winked as she walked out of his room. Mitchell chuckled to himself.

"You're the best, Mom."

She paused in the doorway. "Yeah, I know." She closed his door as he spun to face the desk. He picked up the console and pressed the 'A' button to continue the race. He saw his phone faintly lit up and quickly checked it to find Jason had texted him, no doubt wondering where he'd gone. He sighed as he prepared for Mushroom Bridge. He'd need to watch where and when he raced from now on, knowing the best would be to not return home for dinner as often as his mother liked. Unfortunately, for the moment, the tournament mattered more and if staying away meant he'd secure his education then so be it. Besides, didn't his father always tell him knowledge was more important than anything else?

The countdown ended, and Bowser flew away from the starting line, weaving between Toad, Luigi, and an immensely oversized bus. He used his cart weight to his advantage and slammed Toad into a car as he and Luigi fought for first place. He ignored the lanes on the road and followed instead the curves to the fences and tunnel walls, keeping a close eye on his near opponents. However, it seemed only Luigi wanted to give him trouble so he focused on the green-dressed plumber as Bowser quickly dominated the track. He grabbed an item box from the first group and landed a red shell, immediately using it on Peach as she tried to pass him. He drove down the hill and back up into another tunnel, careful to avoid the yellow vehicle that reminded him of a taxi.

Luigi remained just behind as he drove through another box. He finished driving through the second tunnel when he found himself with a single banana peel. He saved the eaten fruit until he reached the bridge, following the checkered line in the center. Just as the plumber started to pass him, he dropped the peel. However, Luigi swerved a second before and sailed passed the nemesis. Swearing once, Mitchell finished the first lap in second place.

Bowser once again sped away and easily dodged two dull-blue cars as he caught up to Luigi. He reentered the first tunnel, grabbed a green shell, and fired the weapon without hesitation. He started to doubt his luck when another player released a Blooper and the plumber weaved drunkenly along the track. Starting to laugh at his blindness, Mitchell glided down the track until catching up to his enemy and bumped his cart, causing him to slide into a bus. The red cart flipped over multiple times before settling back onto the street. Bowser continued on his way, now exiting the second tunnel. After driving through another group, Bowser released his obtained green shell backwards, not caring if it hit a cart or a car. He drove over the bridge freely until he found himself starting the third lap.

Bowser followed the short road again, driving under another tunnel and avoiding the taxis and buses. He heard another engine, grabbed a red shell, and sent Toad back into the dead end of the racers. The bridge appeared back in sight and Bowser ended Mushroom Bridge in first.

Mitchell grinned; pleased his final race had been uneventful. He waited while the others finished up as he checked his cell phone. He had been correct in his conjecture and answered with a neutral response. He knew how rocky the team was, between himself and Danny against Cassie and Jackie, though in reality just Danny and Cassie. Bothering Jason with his _possible _problem wouldn't help any situation. Mitchell checked the roster, seeing Danny would be racing in about thirty minutes. He knew Jason would be busy keeping the score in his head and so he instantly logged off once the site published the ranks without another thought.

As he stood up, he wondered what his mother had made for lunch.

***PB***

"Damn it! Where the hell is he?" Jason exclaimed, dialing the number on his phone again. Jackie and Elliot talked amongst themselves, working out an explanation. Mitchell, Cassie, and Charlotte had been phoned as well as Connor texted but no one seemed to be able to get a hold of Danny.

Danny, whose race started in approximately four minutes and who needed to be logged in over twenty minutes ago.

"He's not answering any texts, and I haven't yet acquired the permission to stalk him with satellites," Elliot stated, checking an update from Connor. Jackie concurred.

"Is there any way we can switch him around and have Cassie race this time?" she asked, receiving the agreement from Cassie via telephone.

Jason pulled the phone away from his ear as the now familiar voice message played. "No, there's already a Daisy racing."

Jackie paused, listening, before adding, "Who else isn't racing besides Dry Bones at this point, she wants to know?"

Jason quickly checked the racing roster. "DK, Peach, and Luigi." Jackie reiterated the news, silencing Cassie until she hurriedly hung up the phone. Jackie moved on and directed her focus on any news Elliot had discovered from Connor or Charlotte as a new call came in from Mitchell.

"Do you have anything?" she asked instantly.

"Sorry, princess," he replied. "And you're positive no times were changed from a few days ago?"

"One hundred percent positive. He knew his race started at one o'clock his time." She pulled away from her Skype microphone before continuing. "Why would he miss his race? I don't get it."

"Your guess is as good as mine. I don't think he's missing it on purpose, but it's strange he's not responding to any of our messages." Just as he was about to give up, his phone beeped. He pulled it away to find Danny calling him. "Hey, let me get back to calling. Bye." He immediately pressed the green button on his phone.

"Dude, what's going on? Is the world in fire?" Danny inquired loosely.

Mitchell worked to bottle his annoyance. "What's going on is your race starts in two minutes, literally! You need to log on and race before we have to forfeit and quit the tournament!"

"Damn, is it that late already?"

"Yes, now get off the phone and log on!" Mitchell hung up, speed dialing Jason. He answered instantly. "Found him. Prepare your monologue, chief." His captain swore before ending the call with curt thanks. Mitchell tucked his phone in his pocket, debating whether Jason would allow the argument to air live on Skype. Knowing a team was stronger than an individual, he called up Elliot and Cassie, two people he was sure would want to hear the case. Who knew? Maybe this incident is what he and the other princess would bond over.

***PB***

Jason leaned back in his chair, his fingers pressing against his temple to cease the migraine he currently owned no aspirin for. He never thought running a Mario Kart team could be so stressful and exhausting. Especially on top of the fact that he had one week left in his apartment before he was reduced to live in his car.

His Skype call came in, and he answered the video chat. He wanted no one else to hear the information he would tell Danny. Whatever happened after tonight would be his problem or his solution to deal with, but either way it remained up to Danny which to choose.

Jason stared at the kid sitting before him. He was pretty sure Danny had recently graduated high school but carried no interest in furthering his education. However, when he called back Mitchell, his Bowser informed him that he didn't sound like he had been working. In fact, he sounded almost bored, as though he had forgotten the race entirely. The captain stared at the young man, ready for one decision or the other. He was done with the in between.

"Do you want to be on this team or not?" he asked nonchalantly, though he was sure he sounded soporific to this punk.

Danny grinned, accustomed to the principal's office. "What else could you do?"

Amused, Jason smiled. "I have until the end of the city rounds to transfer a racer out of my team for another. Cassie's racing now, followed by Jackie at the start of the next hour. You have approximately an hour and a half to decide if you want to continue to play on this team before I decide to send you packing regardless based off your performance today."

Danny's expression dropped. "You can't do that!"

"I can, if you prove that this team means nothing to you. For most of us, this is our last shot before we enter the real world permanently. We have this one chance to bring to life the dreams of our childhood, and if there's a way for them to reach it, they will. If you're stopping them, they'll stop you. No one will have objections to kicking you off the team, especially if it means finding someone interested in them as well as the tournament." He paused, waiting for the realization to hit him. "Besides, if you're just here to goof off, then the fun's ended. From here on out, we have a chance to go further than just the beginning rounds. You can help us get there, or you can take the next stop. Which will it be?"

Danny looked away from the webcam, despising the steep drop Jason dragged him into. He would never allow someone to treat him as nothing, as average, as irreplaceable as the next guy. He could take these chumps all the way, but he had yet to come across picky weaklings. If Rowles wanted a friendly racer, he was in the wrong tournament. However, if what he said was true, he was faced with tolerating the goody two-shoes or forfeiting his place to a kid, who didn't deserve the chance he was receiving.

The Dry Bones racer glanced up to the Mario captain. He held the stare a moment before replying, "It won't happen again. This is important to me, and I won't jeopardize it for myself, let alone for your _team_." He spat out the final word, disgusted that he'd been reduced to belonging to a group.

Jason grinned, satisfied for the time being. "Good. If you would, keep watch on the next two races and let me know how they go. If you want to, that is. I'm sure there's too much for you to learn from our princesses anyway." He smiled before ending the video call and shutting down the laptop. He grabbed his keys and locked the door, heading for his Camry. He felt like going out tonight.

Within ten minutes he parked his vehicle outside the Early Byrd. He climbed out of his car, locked up, and hadn't even reached the door when Mr. Garcia stepped outside, throwing his arms in the air as he welcomed the teen. Jason grinned under the attention and allowed the owner to escort him to a booth personally. Mr. Garcia waited until a waitress took an order for Jason's drink before starting the conversation.

"I must say, the news of your qualifications was fantastic! What's the name of your team again?"

"Only One," he answered, accepting his soda from the waitress as she returned.

"Only One," the man mused, working out ideas in his head before speaking. "I must say, I'm quite impressed with the results. How are the current rounds going?"

Jason nodded quickly, setting down his glass. "Perfect. Looks like we're making it to State." Mr. Garcia nodded vigorously, opening his mouth to speak when a woman interrupted him.

"Jason, what a surprise seeing you here," Lillian Taylor announced, smiling forcefully. "Oh, I'm sorry, was I intruding?"

Just as he was about to concur, Mr. Garcia spoke up. "No, of course not! Pleasure seeing you again Jason." He gave a curt nod and returned to his rounds. Lillian allowed her enthusiasm to lessen dramatically.

"May I sit down?" she asked as she plopped down in the booth.

"Doesn't matter if I care," he answered, taking another drink of his soda.

Lillian took a second, collecting her thoughts. "I know you and I didn't… end on the best of terms, but I thought I'd stop by to see how you're doing." She flashed him a fake grin, causing him to grimace in reaction.

"Just lovely and yourself?"

"We both know you don't care."

"Then why the hell are we bothering with formalities? Get to the point, Lillian, or get going."

She sat stunned, surprised by his bluntness. However, if her expression portrayed her shock, he never acknowledged it. She regained her confidence quickly and pushed the conversation forward. "How's the job hunt coming? Have you found anymore work?"

"My personal, and professional, life is none of your concern. Whether I've found work or not is none of your business, and if that's all you came to ask about then you may leave." He grabbed the attention of a waitress while Lillian fumbled with words.

"What about the tournament? You know the thing that cost you your job?" she inquired, grinning as she knew the nerve she had to have hammered.

The waitress arrived, prepared to take his order. He smiled to her before turning to face Lillian. "The only _thing _that cost me my job was you. Are we done here? I'd like to eat before midnight rolls around." He flashed her the same grin she performed earlier, infuriating her even more as she grabbed her purse and marched out of the restaurant. Jason watched, quite amused with her acting skills. As she walked out of site, he turned to face the waitress. "What are the specials for today?"

***A/N***

_**To my readers and my favorite reviewers, War P. Anda and Flame-Wiz27, this will be the last chapter for a while. Unfortunately, due to midterm season, I won't be able to update as often, but I can promise the story will be completed. Please keep checking back, and I will try to finish this particular book before Thanksgiving. Thanks for reading and keep reviewing!**_

_**~HappyHowler4myLuver**_


	4. Episode 4

Disclaimer: I own nothing of Nintendo

Nintendo released the most anticipating news to the world. The masterminds have decided to stage a Mario Kart challenge to participating teams around the world in an effort to restart the phenomenon. Create a team of eight, based off the characters available in the latest DS version of the classic game, and race your way through the brackets to win. The top two teams from each participating country will fly to Japan to compete for the grand prize of creating their own racetrack for the upcoming version of Mario Kart. Does your team have what it takes?

***PB***

Jason Rowles read the lengthy message from the head of the City Rounds, anxious to skim the entire note until he reached the end to view the results. However, he forced his eyes to linger over certain phrases until the whole letter stuck in his head as a summary to be presented to his team. Finally, the last paragraph ended and he read the results for the eight main cities of Texas.

He ignored every team name, his chest sinking even though the email practically secured their advancement. Finally, the name Only One caught his eye and he sighed in relief. They had made it passed the first round. However, due to the overwhelming numbers, they would head straight into the Finals to hurry into the larger races. The top 8 teams based in the Dallas Metroplex would be sent to the official Dallas-City Cup and from there the top team would be sent to the State Cup of Texas. Only eight teams would receive the chance to compete in the State Cup, and Jason was determined to send his team there.

He wrote a message and sent it out as a mass text to his seven teammates. He logged out of his email account and pulled up Skype. Within the minute, all seven racers were logged on and ready to hear the newest speech. Once every person was joined on the call, Jason spoke.

"Alright you guys. I have good news and surprising news. Which do you want first?"

"Give us the good news, captain," Charlotte offered, raising unanimous support from the others.

"Okay. The good news is we made it the City Cup Finals," he announced. Everyone slowly started to cheer, although he knew some remained quiet.

"Hold on," Mitchell interrupted. "The Finals? That was only one round."

"That's the surprising news. My guess is that Nintendo didn't expect these overwhelming numbers to participate—"

Elliot chuckled. "Of course not, it's only the biggest event of our lives."

"And so in order to cut down the numbers and make sure the time frame isn't altered, they want the Finals to begin. They want to send the top two teams from every city to the State Cup and from there I believe they're sending the top four."

"So as long as we make it to the semi-finals of the State Cup, we've got the chance to go to Regional's?" inquired Cassie.

"That sounds about right, although that sounds too good to be true," Jason answered. "Either way, that number one spot should be what we aim for. I don't want Only One to settle more than we have to."

The rest of the group concurred, and Jason adjourned the meeting. Soon, everyone had logged off Skype save for Jackie. Suddenly, the call ended. Jason leaned back in his chair, strategizing about the upcoming races. A video call yanked him from his thoughts and he slightly panicked when he saw Jackie's name. Running his hands hastily through his hair and reviewing his choice of shirt, he accepted the chat.

"Hey Jason. Long time no see." She smiled and he returned the gesture.

"Yeah, how's it going? Personal life-wise."

She shrugged. "Can't complain. Although, my tennis instructor has been going bananas lately. I once referred to her as DK but no one else really got the joke." She paused, dumbfounded.

Jason smiled at her enthusiasm. "You're probably my best employee."  
She flashed him a small smile, and he hoped the lighting was dim enough so she wouldn't see him blush. "Speaking of employees; how's your personal life?"

"Well, I shouldn't complain." He chuckled as he looked away. "I'll be alright. I paid the bills for this month with what was left, and I've always dreamed of dumpster diving."

"Jason!"

"Kidding! I'm kidding! I've got food." He casually glanced at his empty kitchen but reverted his focus back on his laptop. "Don't worry about me, I'm fine."

"Why not pick up a part-time job? Or you could even work part-time back at your old place."

Jason shook his head. "I can't go back to Honaday and the Witch. There're placed hiring, and if not I can last until the end of the State Cup."

Jackie remained unconvinced. "Traveling costs money. You have to be able to put up a deposit to fly out to the later events. How are you going to afford that?"

"I don't know, Jackie," he replied, throwing his hands up. "I really don't know, but it'll work out. You guys just need to focus and concentrate on the next races and guarantee us that spot for State." She merely nods. He says his goodbye and ends the call.

Closing the laptop, he gazes once again on his empty kitchen. As his stomach starts to growl he reopens the computer. While his team worked on their skills, he'd be working on finding work. The idea that Jackie mentioned doesn't fail to creep into his head. Unfortunately, he knew that going back to Carlos Tacos would mean missing the chance to fly out for the Regional Cup. Honaday wouldn't even consider him back if it meant letting him go again. Then again, from the short talk with Lillian, maybe he wanted him back.

Either way, he knew that once the State Cup ended, he wouldn't be able to change his mind once he made a decision.

***PB***

Jackie settled herself comfortably on his bed. Her phone and her computer off, she'd have no distractions while she raced. These were the Finals for the City Cup, and she needed to treat them as importantly as she would the Finals for the Internationals.

She was chosen to race the Shell Cup for Retro Mode. The first race, Mario Circuit 1, had been stolen by none other than Daisy. Now she needed to reclaim the final three races and prove that Peach was still the one and only princess. Or, to make Jason happy, the only one who could be princess. At that the thought of the captain, she found herself smiling, but immediately wiped away her ease and threw on her game face.

Moo Moo Farm wouldn't be too difficult so long as she stayed focused and avoided the Monty Moles. It was a relatively short track, which meant she would need to stay as close to first throughout the majority of the race to dodge blue shells and be able to claim first as the final lap came to a close.

The countdown began. She pressed the 'A' button as the '2' vanished and prepared to wipe out the wannabe princess. Suddenly, 'GO!' flashed and six of the karts dashed from the start line.

Jackie's kart, along with numerous others, flew over the first hill and she knocked over Mario as she remained close to the right wall. She could see Daisy creeping up beside her, but right now she was only in third place. Donkey Kong and Dry Bones remained ahead. Peach cruised along the wall, easily dodging the mole holes, and zigzagged with the track over the smooth hills. She soon landed a red shell and fired away. Dry Bones toppled over, allowing her to pass him with ease.

She followed Donkey Kong under the bridge but allowed Daisy to pass her when she saw he obtained a red shell. He dropped it from behind and it crashed into the ex-winner. Jackie smirked as she regained second place and weaved through another group of Monty Moles. She switched views for the top screen and saw Dry Bones was catching up to her with Daisy close behind. She switched the screen back and jumped over the track because of the hills. She managed to sneak between two columns just as Dry Bones tried to send her off-track. Peach crossed the mark and started the second lap in second place.

Her plan was more or less coming together, but DK hadn't faltered from first since the start. She needed to snag first place if she wanted to win the Shell Cup.

Peach swerved away from the right wall and managed to grab a banana peel from the item boxes. Jackie sighed, but released the peel regardless. As expected, all three of her followers dodged it, but perhaps it might get them on the final lap, if she didn't fall for it first. Just as DK slid beside her, she rammed into his kart, which only sent her drifting sideways. She maintained control, however, and caught up to the monkey quickly, just as Dry Bones and Daisy rode her tail.

"Come on," Jackie muttered. If she didn't maintain a steady lead, she'd never get out of second place. Daisy and Peach were now neck and neck, with Dry Bones sweeping their bumpers. Donkey Kong raced ahead, but was still in sight. Suddenly, the _whish! _of a blue shell whistled in her speakers and Jackie released the 'A' button. Dry Bones and Daisy passed her as she fought to regain her speed. However, it was too late for them. The shell slammed into DK and sent him straight into the air. Dry Bones and Daisy both spun out from the aftershock, leaving Peach to glide passed them. She drove through the columns and finished the second lap in first place.

Jackie grinned, excited. She dodged her own peel and didn't worry about grabbing an item. Right now, she merely wanted to finish the race in one piece. Not every track deserved a fight; some only needed to be finished.

She drove along the right wall to cut out as many tenths of a second as she could and weaved again through the group of Monty Moles. She heard faint engines in her speakers, and knew someone was catching her. Jackie tried to increase her time as she raced under the bridge. She landed a green shell and sent it spinning behind her. Whether or not it would hit someone, she didn't know, and she really didn't care. She had only a few more seconds before she needed to place first.

The whistle sent her into a panic. She knew a racer was right on her tail, but even if it knocked them both out the other two would pass her. Peach flew through the columns and for a split second she saw Daisy on her left. A second was all she had before she was pummeled by the blue shell. Jackie's spirit sank as she watched Peach's kart fly in the air…

And land on the other side of the finish line because of the momentum. Jackie screamed as she dropped her pink DS onto the bed. She started dancing as the game awarded her ten points. Now she was tied with Daisy for eighteen points. As long as she claimed another first place, she'd be fine. So long as Daisy never received the chance, Only One would claim the Shell Cup and be that much closer to winning the City Cup. She jumped back on her bed, picked up her DS, and prepared to blow every other racer out of the water.

***PB***

Elliot Braun relaxed in his bedroom. Although he should have been practicing for the race, he decided to mentally prepare as oppose to physically prepare. He heard a knock on his door. Just as he sat up on the edge of his bed Courtney walked in and lightly closed the door.

"What's up, Court?" he asked as she walked toward him.

Her expression worried him. "I have bad news for you and your racing team." Elliot sat silently, waiting for her to continue. She waited, as though she expected something, but then spoke again. "Mom bought the tickets. We leave in two days, tomorrow if we can."

Elliot's face dropped as he raced toward his sister. He dropped to his knees, his eyes leveled with hers. "No, she said we wouldn't go this year."

Courtney merely shrugged. "She said she changed her mind. You know how she is. If we leave…"

"Then I won't have access to a computer," he murmured, the news wrapping around his head.

Ms. Braun called for her daughter. Courtney turned suddenly and raced to the door. She turned to face her brother as she opened it. He remained on the ground. "You have to do something, Elliot. She can't understand if she doesn't know." With her words of wisdom she left, closing the door. Her brother shook his head, standing.

"She's right." He turned toward his DS resting on his nightstand. "I have to do something. But whether she knows or not, she'll never understand."

***PB***

Mitchell rolled his neck, hoping to loosen the tension. Race four was about to start for the Leaf Cup. Although Mushroom Bridge was one of the easier tracks, it didn't help the fact that if he didn't place first then Only One could say goodbye to their chance at the State Cup. He couldn't believe how intense some of the racers were, but then again, he hadn't shown his true potential just yet.

The countdown started and ended, and Bowser, along with three others, got the boost start. Toad neared him, but he smashed into the shorty and sent him flying into another racer. Mitchell smiled at his misfortune and continued into the futuristic-looking tunnel. He grabbed a green shell and fired back. Although his target wasn't hit, avoiding it he ran into one of the blue cars and spun out. Bowser hurried forward, now with Luigi by his side.

Mitchell couldn't say why, but he had never liked the green brother. Mario he could tolerate, but Luigi always seemed to get under his skin. That was probably why Charlotte confused him so much. It made sense that she got along well with Jason, seeing as though he _was _Mario, and in turn never really communicated with him as Bowser. However, it was Cassie that he truly couldn't stand. Something about her he didn't like, but he couldn't understand why he had been against her from day one. Mitchell erased his thoughts and slammed into Luigi's kart, sending him flying into a bus as they cross the bridge. Satisfied, Bowser continued on toward the first marker for lap one.

Toad and Yoshi came up from behind. Bowser found another green shell and fired just as Toad came up from behind. He toppled into the air, leaving only Yoshi to try to penetrate first place. Mitchell drove down the hill and expertly swerved between the bus and the car as he turned the corner. Yoshi tried to follow his lead but ended up crashing into the car. Mitchell laughed as he entered the second tunnel. He drove through another item box and found a banana peel. He dropped the fruit on the middle white line and followed the curve to the bridge.

Luigi and Peach slowly came up from behind as he crossed the last marker. Bowser snagged another item box, this time with a red shell. He bumped Luigi again, this time slowing him down as he drove straight into the hill. He couldn't bear the thought of hitting Peach, so he let her pass him and then attacked her with the red shell. The blast flung her into the air as Bowser finished up the tunnel. He followed the remainder of the track, taking a hit from two shells along the way, but maintained his lead until he sent Toad, for the final time, flying with a bump and stole first place.

He leaned back in his chair. He felt he was defying the laws of physics. The bad guy wins again, and Mitchell chuckled as set down his DS and soaked in his victory.

***PB***

Jason closed his laptop. He had tried to fill out applications, but he knew no boss would provide his new employee with so many _possible _weeks off because of a video game tournament. He checked his phone. Already he had ignored two calls from his electric company. He hadn't been able to buy groceries in a week and half, and he had been low to start with. Reality started to sink in, but it never lasted long.

A text came in from Mitchell, informing him that Only One had won the Retro Mode for the City Cup Finals. Jason smiled before his realist views wiped it off.

No, these races wouldn't pay the bills, and he knew dozens of people would call him an idiot in a second. But he was an idiot with dreams. That counted for something, right?

He somehow doubted that dreams had ever counted in the real world, but at the moment, he was no longer in the real world. He was racing in a virtual world, and he and his team were winning. As long as they were winning, he owed them a chance. They deserved nothing less than that.


	5. Episode 5

Disclaimer: I own nothing of Nintendo

Nintendo released the most anticipating news to the world. The masterminds have decided to stage a Mario Kart challenge to participating teams around the world in an effort to restart the phenomenon. Create a team of eight, based off the characters available in the latest DS version of the classic game, and race your way through the brackets to win. The top two teams from each participating country will fly to Japan to compete for the grand prize of creating their own racetrack for the upcoming version of Mario Kart. Does your team have what it takes?

***PB***

Danny revved up his engine. He started off the Nitro Mode, and because he had to prove to his teammates that he meant business he managed to claim first place for Figure-8 Circuit. Although he disliked how whiney the girls were, he did like the idea that even though they needed him, he needed them right back. It was a mutual relationship they shared. Even though he could see romances and friendships, in the end, it was strictly professional in his eyes. After this tournament ended, he'd never see or hear from them again. With that view in mind, he knew he should at least make the experience livable, for himself and the others.

The Dry Bones racer achieved the boost and sped away, along with Waluigi and Wario beside him in second and third places. Danny decided to test out a strategy he'd come up with during the practices with his buddies. He snaked over the first bridge and sloped down through the next waterfall. The boosts sent his kart flying past the other players and he paused his drifting to guarantee an item box. He released the peel, but both his priority opponents dodged the banana. He noticed Waluigi drifting and returned to his original plan. He knew Wario wouldn't be able to snake too well in his standard kart, which meant he'd be left behind. Danny wasn't too upset with the realization.

Dry Bones continued to snake through the waterfalls and finished up the first lap. Waluigi remained right beside him, and Danny gave up snaking through the first waterfall to avoid being shoved over the edge. He snagged a green shell and tried to time the shot but still missed his enemy. Danny took a risk and drifted through the second waterfall and sharply pulled up to the side as opposed to snaking the rim. Waluigi followed through the original path, allowing Dry Bones to ram into him and send him falling into the canyon. Danny snaked up toward the third bridge, hitting three boosts and sliding toward the starting line.

Toad suddenly passed him with a mushroom. Dry Bones drifted along the curved track and caught a green shell. He sent the item flying over the first bridge and snaked through the waterfall. Just as he reappeared on the actual track, the shell bounced off the left wall and he narrowly avoided the item. Toad remained in first, and he shot away with another drift to steal back the lead. With only approximately fifteen seconds left on the final lap, Dry Bones snaked through the remaining two waterfalls and caught the final boost. He drove just behind Toad, but as he started to pass him, a blue shell swooped down and exploded. Both Toad and Dry Bones' karts shot straight up, allowing Waluigi to sneak by and take the win. Cursing, Danny regained control of his kart first and hurried past the finish line only a few seconds ahead of Wario and R.O.B.

Danny swore as he dropped the DS on his desk. "What the hell was that?" he shouted, kicking the air as he stood up. If he had only been further over he could've taken the win and been set for the final two. He paused and gazed upon his console, the scene vanishing as the song for Cheep Cheep Beach played. Danny sat down; estimating that the time it took to complete a single lap on most tracks would be the equivalent to the entire race for the beach.

He picked up the console and prepared to win.

***PB***

_How's the racing going for you? _Jason typed.

_Pretty well. R.O.B. is a strong racer, and his kart is ideal for most tracks, _Connor responded. Jason grinned.

_That's great, but I was leaning more to how you're feeling. I hope the team's been welcoming to you, they can be overwhelming. _

Connor's mouth slightly curled in a smile, but he maintained his composure. _Ah, I see. I've been feeling good about the tournament. Only One seems to be a strong team for the competition. _He paused, trying to word how he felt about his fellow racers. _The team's alright. The drama and quarrels are amusing, to say the least._

Jason laughed out loud. _I'm glad they're entertainment for you. I like how open they are with each other, even if it does involve arguing for most of the time._

_ I concur. Better to have a worker speak their mind then silence their problems. _

Just as Jason started to reply, his phone distracted him. He saw Charlotte's number on the screen, and quickly typed, _Looks like another member. Can we pick this up later?_

_ Of course. Goodbye, Jason._

_ Later Connor. Oh, and great advice!_

He logged off the chat and answered the phone just before it stopped ringing.

"I was worried I wouldn't catch you," she spoke as he answered.

"Reach me? For what exactly?"

"I spoke with Jackie and Mitchell, and they told me about your… financial troubles."

Jason sighed, biting his tongue. "I have no financial troubles. I'm doing fantastic! I've never been better, monetarily, in my life!"

Charlotte smirked. "So you wouldn't be interested in a position at the Early Byrd?"

Jason stopped short. "Pardon?"

Charlotte laughed. "I thought you might be interested. Be at the restaurant at four this afternoon. My grandfather wants to speak with you. Not necessarily an interview, but slacks and a nice shirt wouldn't hurt." She pulled out her keys from her purse as she reached her car. "Listen, I can't really talk right now because I'm already running late, but make sure you're on time. I can't risk the team's chances at traveling just because our leader is too lazy to get a real job."

"Oh, you're too hilarious. And what's so important that you're out of breath to get there?"

Even though he wasn't physically near, Charlotte found herself stuttering. "Oh, uh, nothing! Just some plans, with some… people."

Jason paused as he thought out possibilities. "Plans involving nothing with other people? That sounds like a date, if I'm not mistaken."

"You are mistaken, tremendously in fact. Now, don't be late to your date!"

She hung up the phone as Jason tried to put the pieces together. "_My _date? I know I need help in the working world, but I am still not desperate enough to go on a date with her grandfather."

***PB***

Charlotte let out a shout as she took first for Delfino Square of the Flower Cup. Two wins a date with the cute neighbor next door—this day seemed perfect. All she had left to finish it on a high note would be to win Waluigi Pinball and Shroom Ridge.

She settled down and cast her eyes at the clock. 3:51 p.m. In about nine minutes Jason would be discussing his future as an employee of the Early Byrd. She hoped he got the chance to work, more to visit and annoy him as a customer than anything else. However, her mind concentrated on the race as the screen transformed into the futuristic world of pinball.

She personally liked tracks like Waluigi's because of the fact that if she fell behind, she had plenty of time to catch up as opposed to races that took less than a minute to complete. Luigi sat in first place, his engine revving as the countdown commenced, and then drove straight into the tunnel of defying physics to start the actual track of the race.

Luigi swerved to the right to block Bowser and curved the track. Charlotte turned to the left and drove off the ramp onto the downward slope. She hopped around the turns, hating the idea of drifting. She followed the track until she flew off the next boost and onto another angled road. Luigi hopped around the first turn, but hit the wall as Bowser slammed him into the wall. Charlotte quickly jumped back in the race with R.O.B. The Poltergust 4000 landed an item box and Charlotte flung the green shell backward, sending one of her opponents crashing. Luigi turned toward the left and into the pinball arena.

Bowser remained in the line of sight and Charlotte increased her power as she straightened out her path. Ignoring the robot near her, she easily avoided the walls and arms and reentered the starting tunnel. Luigi picked up a banana peel and waited for R.O.B. to get closer before releasing the trash and spinning him out. Luigi drove uphill and turned the corner to end the first lap. Inching closer to neck and neck with Bowser, the second brother drove through the futuristic tunnel and onto the first leg of the segmented track.

Charlotte collected her focus and landed another item. This time, she fired the green shell forward, but Bowser narrowly missed the attack. Luigi boosted a single time before driving off the ledge. However, a new challenge arouse: the pinballs were now loose. She watched Bowser's action and tried to pass his kart without getting too close to the path of the ball. Of course, the other player knew the track as well as anyone. The Bowser racer kept up his lead by blocking the road and boosted off the second leg. Charlotte, growing increasingly annoyed, followed and landed on the third leg.

Luigi hopped along the turns and pulled up beside Bowser. Two more racers could be heard, but Charlotte focused on the leader. They remained beside the other until they ended the road and entered the arena. Now two pinballs rotated around the moving targets. Bowser started to ram into his adversary's kart, but Luigi was already ahead of him. Charlotte lessened her speed temporarily, allowing Bowser to drive straight into a target. Luigi took off from the position and weaved between the balls, arms, and walls, reaching the end of the second lap. However, another engine caught the speakers and soon R.O.B. and Peach neared closer to the new lead. Charlotte grabbed a red shell, fired it from behind, and soon only Luigi and Peach had started the third lap.

Charlotte focused on her previous strategy of hopping the curves as Luigi drove off the first leg and onto the second segment. Unfortunately, another pinball followed both of the karts as they raced downhill. Luigi sorted a quick plan and increased speed just another drive just in front of Peach, as Bowser had attempted in the previous lap. This time, however, it was a success. Luigi managed to keep Peach behind long enough for the pinball to catch up. Charlotte sped away just as the pinball ran over the pink princess and started the third leg of the race.

This time, Bowser had almost caught up to the lead. Luigi started to race into the arena and concentrated on the new additions to the challenge. Switching tactics at the last second, Charlotte followed the outside route to dodge the pinballs. Suddenly, Luigi's place fell to second and Charlotte picked up speed. Easily swinging inside, Luigi drove between the arms just as Bowser did. Now, it was a battle of speed and power. Bowser tried to send Luigi flying into a wall, but with his agility he managed to stay out of the range. However, with only another turn to the finishing line, Luigi took a chance and tried to overtake the turtle. Just as Luigi pulled ahead, Bowser was hit with a red shell and tumbled into the nearest wall. Charlotte hit the maximum speed and sailed through the finishing line in first.

***PB***

Cassie bobbed her head to the music. She missed the lazy days of summer where she'd spend whole afternoons doing nothing but jam to music and dance. However, Jackie interrupted her reminisce with a phone call. She lowered the volume.

"Hey, girlie! How's it going?"

"Hi Cassie! I'm hoping you're free to Skype right now. Danny wants to speak to you, to both of us actually."

Cassie turned off the song completely. "Danny? What for?"

"He wouldn't say, but he doesn't sound like he's looking for a fight."

"Aw, damn. There goes my excitement." Cassie logged into her Skype account, and ended the phone call. Soon, she received a call from Danny and answered. Jackie arrived quickly after.

"Hey girls. Glad you could make it," Danny greeted.

"Yeah, we're here, what do you want?" Cassie fired back, hearing an automatic reprimand from her fellow princess.

"It's fine Jackie. I've been an ass, and I wanted to apologize for it."

Cassie bit her tongue as Jackie spoke. "That's sweet of you. Thank you Danny."

"Hold it," stopped Cassie. "Why are you apologizing? Did Jason or Elliot get on to you?"

"Elliot? What does he have to do with this?" Danny inquired. Cassie could hear the honest confusion in his voice and tried to cover it up.

"Why are you avoiding the question?" She tensed, hoping he wouldn't call her out as well. Fortunately, he moved on.

"You're right, you're right. Look, the reason I'm apologizing is because I've realized that this is more of a team effort than I expected. If I give you a hard time, you'll come right back and treat me the same. This tournament isn't short enough for me to be listening to your voice complaining about things I may or may not have done."

Cassie smirked. "I see. I guess you couldn't have handled my intensity for another two and a half months."

"Two and a half months?"

"Yup, all the way to Tokyo. You do realize that's how long you're going to have to put with me, right?"

This time, Danny grinned. "Of course. I'm the reason you guys are going to get that far."

Cassie nodded, pleased with his confidence. "Good to see we've settled that." Danny concurred before logging off. Cassie was about to follow when she heard Jackie's voice, forgetting she had been there.

"So, what was settled exactly?"

"Alliances. If we can't be a team of friends, the next step is to be allies, and now he's one of us. I'll talk to you later Jackie. I've got some things to finish before the night is over." She logged off without waiting for a reply, and blared her music once again. The evening was approaching, and she had all night to hear her favorite song.

***PB***

Elliot flung through the papers on his desk, swearing when nothing was found. He needed an excuse, but school had just started. He had no lies to create about leaving on a trip. He started to panic before picking up the phone and calling someone he hoped would help.

After thirty seconds of ringing, he finally started to leave his voicemail.

"It's Elliot. I need help. If I don't find a solution to stay, I won't be able to race tomorrow. And if I don't race, we get disqualified. Please, think of something, or someone, and let me know. You're the only one I could think of who could think of something drastic enough to work. Give me a call; you're my last hope, frighteningly."

He hung up and opened his suitcase. He needed to at least appear to be ready to leave to his mother. He only hoped Mitchell would have an idea before it was too late.


	6. Episode 6

Disclaimer: I own nothing of Nintendo

Nintendo released the most anticipating news to the world. The masterminds have decided to stage a Mario Kart challenge to participating teams around the world in an effort to restart the phenomenon. Create a team of eight, based off the characters available in the latest DS version of the classic game, and race your way through the brackets to win. The top two teams from each participating country will fly to Japan to compete for the grand prize of creating their own racetrack for the upcoming version of Mario Kart. Does your team have what it takes?

***PB***

Jason fidgeted in his seat. He hadn't gone through a proper job interview in months, and even though he was confident Mr. Garcia wouldn't treat it like a true interview, it only increased his nervousness.

The rustic clock on the wall read 4:07 when Mr. Garcia walked in, smiling as always.

"Jason! I'm pleased to see you here! How's the racing?" the elderly man asked as he took a seat behind the desk.

"It's going well. Charlotte and the rest of the team are doing amazingly well." Jason swallowed loudly as he realized he'd merely repeated himself. Mr. Garcia raised his eyebrow non-threateningly and linked his hands as he rested his arms widely across the bureau.

"That's great to hear, Jason. Now, let's begin that interview of yours. Charlotte has already informed me that you'll need about a month and a half off when you advance into the Regional's of the tournament, so I suggest a part-time position. How do you feel about waiting tables?" he asked.

"Oh, well, that sounds good, Mr. Garcia."

"Great! Can you start tomorrow?"

Jason stopped short. "Pardon?"

"Tomorrow? Is tomorrow a good day to start your job?"

"Uhm, yeah, tomorrow looks… great."

Mr. Garcia grinned, unlocking his hands and reaching for papers. "Excellent! Here's the website information so you know what time to come in. Wear some khakis and a black, collared shirt and we'll supply you with the rest."

Jason took the packet, nodding slowly as he took in the acceptance. He nodded once to his new employer and stood to leave. He paused in the doorway, thinking. "Mr. Garcia, what shoes should I wear? Are there any regulations?"

The older man stopped to think as well. "Do you plan on wearing stilettos?"

Jason opened his mouth to answer, closed it, and then restarted. "No."

"Then there are no regulations you'll be breaking! Thank you for your time, Jason!" Mr. Garcia smiled and focused on his paperwork. Jason slowly turned and walked out.

***PB***

Cassie tucked her dark hair behind her ears as she straightened up. She'd won second place in Donut Plains 1. She wouldn't make the same mistake twice.

She revved up her engine for her vehicle of choice, the Power Flower. As soon as the countdown ended, Daisy, Toad, Yoshi, and Dry Bones took the first four places as they sped around the first right corner of Frappe Snowland. Although the yellow car wasn't the best for speed, Cassie planned to use the Power Flower's bulky built to shove her opponents into the snow banks surrounding the track. Daisy drifted around the next corner and bumped into Dry Bones, sending him soaring into the bank.

One down, two more to go.

Daisy followed the track, finding herself neck-and-neck with Yoshi before he drifted away. She snagged an item box as she dodged the first snowman. Cassie cursed the 100cc, hating how much slower the yellow vehicle rode. However, she knew it would be difficult for her opponents as well and randomly dropped the three banana peels.

Toad and Yoshi remained well ahead, but as she missed the next two snowmen, and rammed into Waluigi and Peach. She received a red shell in the next item box and sent it flying as she bounced over the hills. Cassie heard Daisy cheer; hoping Yoshi would finally be put to rest, and drove forward until she encountered the field of snowmen.

Daisy danced through the men with ease, while avoiding the narrowest spots, and curved sharply to the left. She finally caught up to Yoshi, only to discover Dry Bones' return. Cassie frowned, thinking of Danny as the skeleton appeared on her screen.

"You just can't take a hint, can you?" she muttered, straightening out as all three entered the cavern. She snagged another item box and smiled at the green shell. Cassie pressed and held the 'X' button, laughing when Dry Bones ran into the shell and tumbled in his kart. Daisy immediately turned sharply to her left, battling with Yoshi until him, too, vanished from the screen as he bounced off a wall from her Power Flower.

Daisy continued and crossed the finish line. With only two laps left, she had to hurry or lose to Toad. Fortunately, Yoshi had won first in the last race, which meant even if Toad took first for Frappe Snowland she'd still have a chance to take home the most points overall. Suddenly, Jason popped in her head as she avoided another snowman. He wouldn't approve of her settling, but sometimes your best wasn't good enough.

_What__are__you__thinking?_She wondered. _You__'__re__Cassandra__Santos!__If__you__can__'__t__take__home__the__gold__then__how__will__the__team__make__it__to__Tokyo?_Cassie scowled, taking a mushroom and zooming further along, dodging the snowmen in the open area. Daisy led the way for the six racers behind her as she worked frantically to reach Toad. Cassie started to rethink her vehicle of choice. What good was ramming other players when you couldn't even reach them?

Daisy hurried through the rest of the track until finally Toad came into view near the cavern. He was currently spinning out, no doubt from a dropped banana peel. Daisy soon reached him, but unfortunately so did Yoshi and Dry Bones. No matter what, Yoshi could not win. She wasn't about to be the handicap player forthe team. Daisy snagged a green shell and tried to lose Yoshi. The dinosaur player saw the trick and drove away from the princess. However, Dry Bones hadn't yet learned and ran into the shell yet again. Daisy passed the finish line, still in second place.

Cassie pressed on the 'A' button harder, hoping her rage wouldn't break her console. Daisy drove through an item box as Cassie heard a _whizz_through her speakers. _A__blue__shell!__My__saving__grace!_Just as she conjectured, a blue shell flew overhead and Toad's kart erupted into the air. Both she and Yoshi scraped by, entering the field once again. Cassie watched the dinosaur and drove in close proximity. At the last possible chance, the Power Flower rammed into the egg kart and Yoshi dove into a snowman.

Cassie kept her focus in high gear. She had a lot of track left to maintain first place. Dry Bones slowly crept up with Toad not far behind. Soon Yoshi would rejoin the race. The first place came down to them four. Daisy grabbed a banana peel and let the fruit follow behind the kart for safe measure until she reached another batch of boxes. She dropped the peel directly in front of the box, only to obtain a fake item box. Again, she dragged it behind the kart. Suddenly, Toad flew up from behind with a drift. Daisy immediately rammed into him, but although he sailed into the snow bank, he was shoved forward as well. He hit the bank centimeters before the line, and Daisy took first place for Frappe Snowland with Yoshi only milli-seconds behind her.

Cassie forgot about her professionalism and slouched on top of her bed. She almost helped Toad to win! What would the other racers say when they watched the final seconds of the race? She sighed, rubbing her neck to rid her of the ache. She cursed Toad and shortly after Yoshi. She hated Yoshi. Elliot's voice popped in her head, but she tuned him out as she turned up the Mario Kart music.

***PB***

The phone rested on the bed, barely missed by Mitchell as he collapsed onto it.

"Gotta save Elliot, gotta save Elliot, gotta save… He's so screwed." Mitchell ceased his ranting as he went through the names in his head.

Jason had enough problems without learning that they might lose their qualifications due to an insane controlling mother. Jackie would want to assist Elliot, but she wouldn't know of any way to do so. In fact, she would feel obligated to inform their leader of the problem, taking him back to square one. He assumed Cassie wouldn't care one way or the other if Elliot remained on the team. He doubted the two even spoke to each other outside of team meetings. Connor had never spoken to anyone aside from Jason, and even then it was through typing. Mitchell debated asking Charlotte for help, but she seemed to think like Jason: reserved and careful. That left him one logical choice.

He would have to call Danny for help.

Mitchell searched through his contacts, stopping on the name Danny Dry Bones. He took a breath and called the number. On the fourth ring, he picked up.

"Danny! It's Mitchell. We've got a situation."

"A situation? Like what?" Danny asked.

"Elliot's in trouble. What can you do to save the team?'

Danny pondered aloud, humming into the phone. "I've got some pyrotechnics."

"What? How is that going to help—like, real pyrotechnics? Explosive stuff?"

"The best in all of Tuscan," he replied. Mitchell could hear his grin through the phone.

"So, is it legal for you to set them off?"

"It is if no cops are around. Do you want me to blow Elliot up or something?"

"Oh right! Elliot! No, don't do that. His mom is forcing him to leave on a trip to some camp his grandparents run. And naturally, no Wi-Fi within a few dozen miles."

Danny nodded, thinking. "Does his mom not know about the tournament?"

"I doubt it. I only spoke with him briefly, and it sounds like she wouldn't care what he needs to do."

"I see," he stated. Danny thought over the situation carefully, finally snapping his fingers. "I got it! We'll make it look like Elliot doesn't need to do it—we need him! If Elliot can manage a way for us to Skype her, we'll be able to prove to her that without our Yoshi our dreams are destroyed. Even missing only one racer will disqualify us and it'll be placed completely on Elliot's shoulder. What do you think?"

"Only one, huh? I have to admit, it's a little freaky how that phrase manages to pop up in our life so often," Mitchell wondered aloud. "But that sounds like a plan. Want me to call and see how it all goes over?"

"It should be fine. And if that doesn't work, we'll send Cassie over to sweet talk his mom."

Mitchell frowned in confusion. "Cassie? How would Cassie help Elliot?"

Danny chuckled. "I guess she wouldn't. Make the call. If we can do it tonight, it'll be best. I assume we're not telling Jason about this situation?"

This time, Mitchell's grin could be heard through the connection. "If I told Jason every secret about the team, ulcers would've killed him by now."

***PB***

The dreary and eerie scene of Banshee Boardwalk played across the screens of the silver DS console. The robotic racer sat in first place, pleased with his luck and skill thus far. Connor prepared for his second race in the ROB-BLS kart. As soon as the '2' faded, he held down his 'A' key to boost out of the starting line. As soon as 'START' flashed across his top screen, he, Luigi, and DK flew out, followed shortly by the other five racers. Connor paid them no attention as he spun around the left corner and then the right. The speed of the ROB-BLS would come in handy on the relatively simple track, so long as he remained in first.

R.O.B. flew past Donkey Kong with ease as Mario entered the picture. They drove through the item boxes, and he received a banana peel. However, Mario landed the same item and dragged the fruit behind him just as R.O.B. snuck around. He spun out briefly, only to have DK ram him into the rail. Fortunately, it was early enough that he had the rail to bounce off of. He released his own banana peel, spinning out another racer instantly. He focused on the track as the straight road allowed his perfect speed level to rise to the maximum. R.O.B. flew past Donkey Kong, careful to avoid contact, and sped past him to third place.

Connor continued and landed another item, this time a red shell. He released it without hesitating and entered the abandoned shack. The bats proved no challenge as he soared by Mario and exited the building.

With a green shell, R.O.B. shot it out from behind and focused on the taller brother. He nearly reached the plumber when he ran into the fake item box he suddenly threw. R.O.B. spun out again but quickly regained his spot before Mario caught up. The ROB-BLS quickly sped up and reached the last patch of item boxes before the end of the lap. With a fake item box of his own, Connor held onto it until he came across the next row of boxes.

R.O.B. passed the line in second place, but Luigi remained in his close view. The Poltergust 4000 was a great accelerating kart, but nothing could beat R.O.B.'s vehicle of choice when it came to pure speed. Within seconds, Luigi was knocked into second place as Connor took control of the race. He hurried through the track until he reached the shack again, at which point he heard the rush of the blue shell. Connor immediately checked the map and not only slowed his kart, but threw the vehicle in reverse just as the shell erupted. However, because of the reversal, both R.O.B. and Luigi were hit by the shell.

Mario stole the show as the two leads recovered and completed the shack. Connor easily snuck past Luigi and accidently threw him into the wall before entering the boardwalk again. He stole another item box and landed another green shell. As before, he shot it from behind and quickly caught up to the fatter brother. Although he ended the second lap in second place, he overtook the next plumber in a matter of moments after crossing the line.

Suddenly, Donkey Kong returned to his screen, and Connor took precautions to avoid his heavy kart. He led R.O.B. to the wider corners until the straighter road allowed him to sail past his opponent before turning again. He caught up to Mario and drove neck-in-neck through the shack. Finally, he purposely sent Mario into the wall before he exited and for the first time smiled during the race.

Connor finished the race with ease as his fast kart led the way. He set down the console, stretched out his fingers, and picked the game back up. Just two more races and so far he was the only member of his team to have a chance at taking home the total forty points for his cup. He smiled as he thought about the realization. He was the only one who could take home the perfect gold.


	7. Episode 7

Disclaimer: I own nothing of Nintendo

Nintendo released the most anticipating news to the world. The masterminds have decided to stage a Mario Kart challenge to participating teams around the world in an effort to restart the phenomenon. Create a team of eight, based off the characters available in the latest DS version of the classic game, and race your way through the brackets to win. The top two teams from each participating country will fly to Japan to compete for the grand prize of creating their own racetrack for the upcoming version of Mario Kart. Does your team have what it takes?

***PB***

"Good job! That was quite a backhand!" Jackie exclaimed as one of her students won another point in her tennis match. Her opponent, a young man close to her age of fourteen, yelled out clean threats, preparing to set the score at 15-15 as soon as she served. Jackie smiled before checking on her four other students.

She'd been offered the job as a tennis coach a few months ago, but it wasn't until September when she'd been allowed to begin. Jackie walked behind the courts, nodding to each of her pairs as they volleyed the ball as best they could. Most were naturals, although they hit the ball too softly to do any damage to their opponent. However, she decided to focus on their accuracy in hitting before teaching them any techniques. After all, they were beginners regardless of their age.

Suddenly the She-Devil coordinator stepped into the courts. She cradled her clipboard in her left arm as she wrote down notes. Jackie scowled, calling out to her students to take a break. She personally praised her worst student and approached the blonde-haired woman.

"May I help you?" she inquired while the coordinator continued scribbling on the paper.

"No, I'm just making my rounds. The department wants to see how the players are holding up." She grinned impishly as she tucked her pen into the hole at the top of her brown clipboard.

"These aren't players for the department. They're my students and their progress has nothing to do with anyone but me. I'm their coach and I'll monitor them in the fashion I see best fit," she concluded, folding her arms defensively. If the coordinator caught the hint to leave, she didn't act on it.

"My apologies, Jacqueline. But, if I may say so myself—"

"You may not say anything in regard to my students," Jackie hissed.

The coordinator raised her left eyebrow. "They are paying our tennis department for lessons, and therefore we possess the authority to… _judge_their skill in the courts to determine who we should recruit for our rec team. I took some notes, but it's obvious to see that these misfits will never amount to the skill of the Holly Brindle Tigers tennis team. This recreational center has seen more talent in a group of ten year-olds. You must acknowledge that at the very least, Jacqueline."

Jackie could hear the silence in the courts as her students ceased conversing. "Let's get one thing straight. My students will learn and discover their talent for this sport on their own. They didn't sign up to become the next Maria Sharapova. I am the couch for them, and I can already see their potential as great tennis players, both in playing and in sportsmanship. I love the sport, but I hated my coach and I refuse to let these guys feel the way I did. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a sport to coach." She turned sharply, paused, and faced the coordinator again. "And another thing: My name is Jackie." With that, she smirked at the woman's bewildered expression and returned to her students.

"Is everyone ready to demonstrate the backhand in a match?" she asked, making the gesture while she spoke.

The students remained quiet, unsure of what to say. Finally, the young girl from the first match smiled. "I am! I can't wait to pulverize George with it in the next game!"

Soon all six students nodded and discussed their signature backhands, the boys throwing in their grunts for extra measure. Jackie called them to the courts and waited for them to assemble in their positions. George remained back, leaning in close to Jackie.

"I've never seen anyone stand up to her like that. You're like the Queen now, huh?" he whispered. Jackie smiled, shooing him along. She held up her whistle, her mind debating over the titles of Princess Peach and Queen Peach as her students served the tennis balls.

***PB***

The B Dasher sat in the first place marker of Airship Fortress. Jason adjusted his position on his love seat before the countdown started. So far, he'd received immense luck in the Star Cup. Although for most of the races Mario sat in fourth or fifth place, some stream of luck managed to save him and send him to first place in the previous three tracks. First a blue shell, then a bomb, and finally a gift of three mushrooms to speed his way to the top. Jason smiled as the movie for Airship Fortress ended. He had always liked this particular track.

He pressed and held 'A' and took off with a boost. Unfortunately, so did four other races: Bowser, R.O.B., Peach, and Waluigi. Mario avoided the Bullet Bills and turned sharply to the left, missing an item box as he slipped into third place. Jason no longer grew worried as he weaved through the moles, although he never did understand what they were doing in a fort, and drifted around the u-turn. Bowser drove extremely close, and Jason concentrated on not being flung into the lines of fire as he watched Peach and Waluigi drive out of sight. Mario quickly flew through the air and started to drift down the tower. R.O.B. managed to overtake him, but Mario shot a red shell in his direction. He narrowly dodged a shove off the cliff from Bowser before completing the first lap and driving straight into the Bullet Bills yet again.

Peach slipped into second as Waluigi remained out of Jason's sight. He snagged an item box and groaned at the banana peel. He pressed the 'X' button and prepared to drop it when a red shell collided with the peel and cancelled out the attack. Jason smiled, continuing down the u-turn and into the room of boxes. He could see Peach pass through the fire as he dodged the crates. Mario remained close behind as he flew through the sky and landed back in the tower.

The B Dasher clung to the wall as Jason drifted. He soon reached Peach and managed to drive beside her for a brief moment before slamming into her and sending her falling over the edge. Jason smirked, while hoping Jackie wouldn't see this particular scene.

R.O.B. and Bowser arrived to the scene again but with only one lap left, Jason let the charade drop and focused on reaching Waluigi. Mario drove through another item box and fired the red shell as soon as the reel ceased. He tried to increase his speed as he avoided the crates. Jason smiled as Mario cheered; hopefully indicating that Waluigi had been hit. The power boost performed its trick a final time as the B Dasher drifted. He landed one last item, a mushroom, and was about to utilize it when a blue shell flew past his head. Jason hadn't even heard the zoom. He decided to hold onto the shell and immediately accepted the mushroom as the blue explosion remained just outside the finish line.

Mario finished the Star Cup a few milli-seconds after Waluigi. However, he still took first overall, and Jason sighed as he relaxed in his sofa. He checked to make sure his scores uploaded before shutting off the bulky, red DS. First a new job and now thirty-eight points for Only One. It was the first great day he'd seen in a while.

***PB***

Elliot packed his final piece of clothing, a teal polo he'd never worn after receiving it as a Christmas gift from his mother two years prior, and zipped the large forest green suitcase. Mitchell swore he'd get him out of his mess, but his mother planned on leaving shortly. Courtney assured him of the plane tickets and the time out, but he knew if she could be distracted long enough then they might miss the first flight. If so, he'd be able to race in the Special Cup the following day… or later today, as he saw the clock on his cell. In approximately ten hours he'd be sitting in a dirty airplane waiting to take off for his grandparent's academic camp. His race started at noon, which meant he'd miss it by a mere half hour.

He needed help sooner than later.

His phone rang, and he raced to answer his cell. "Hello?"

"Elliot! It's Danny. Have you left yet?" his caller inquired.

The youngest teammate paused before replying, "No, I'm still at home. Did Mitchell contact you?"

"Yeah, and I'm going to need to Skype your computer. Mitchell will join us as well. A group call should do the trick."

"Skype me? How will that help my situation?"

"Don't fret, dinosaur boy. Mitchell and I have this all worked out, oh, but we will need your mom during the Skype call."

Elliot frowned. "She won't listen to me! I told Mitchell that!"

"That's our point. She may not believe you, but she should believe your teammates need you as much as any racer on Only One. Just get to a computer and Skype call me, got it?" Danny hung up without another word.

Elliot vacillated between following orders and trying his own thing before running downstairs and turning on the family computer. His sister watched his moves, entering the study as he logged in.

"She'll be coming out shortly," Courtney stated a matter-of-factly.

"I know," Elliot murmured. "But Mitchell and Danny have a plan, and what do I have to lose by letting them try?"

Courtney nodded. "They must really like you if they'll willing to keep you so badly."

Elliot smiled grimly at her innocence. "Mitchell may feel that way, but with Danny…" He paused, opening up Skype and logging on. "With Danny, this is strictly business. They can't replace me at this point, and he wouldn't risk his opportunity for Tokyo for anything." His sister listened intently, doubt etched across her face. A door opened and closed, and the click-clack of heels echoed through the loft.

"Want me to distract her?" Courtney asked, heading for the door.

"No, bring her in here."

His sister stopped. "In here? Are you sure?"

"Surprisingly, yes. It's part of Danny's plan," he affirmed before answering a call from the Dry Bones racer. "Is Mitchell linked yet?"

"Not yet, let me call him," Danny answered, and within seconds all three racers were joined. "Now the plan is for us to speak with your mother privately. We'll try and make her understand how vital for the team it is for you to race today. Jason just finished his cup, and after you race we'll know how we fare for the City Cup," Danny presented.

"And if this doesn't work, we'll kidnap you and take you back to the west side of the country with us," Mitchell concluded. Just as Elliot opened his mouth to speak, he head the heels of his mother and turned to find her standing in the entry way.

"Elliot Braun, what is going on?" she demanded, her hands distinctly on her hips.

"Mom, this is Danny and Mitchell. I've got them on a three-way call, and they both want to speak with you," he replied, standing up from the desk chair. "Please, hear them out. They've got a few points they'd like to make before we leave."

"Good morning, Ms. Braun," Danny started. "I'm Danny, and the other is Mitchell. If we could speak privately with you for just a brief moment, we'll let you return to your original engagements." Elliot gawked at the formalities but they managed to win over his mother.

"Fine, but make it brief. We have to leave shortly for the airport. Elliot, leave us be." Her son nodded and exited the room, closing the door.

About five minutes passed before Ms. Braun walked out of the study and faced Elliot in the kitchen. He jumped up, worry and nervousness swelling inside him. "Well?"

Ms. Braun smoothed out her blouse, as though speaking had wrinkled the work she'd ironed. "I have come to the conclusion that you will stay home and remain focused on your schoolwork while Courtney and I check on your grandparents." Elliot stood unmoving as he processed not only her words, but Mitchell and Danny's success. Finally, he stepped over and hugged her, surprising her as she now fussed with her necklace.

"Thanks, mom," he whispered. She smiled back, hugging him before shooing him away as she still had to make sure Courtney was ready. Elliot watched her frantic ensue as she checked the luggage. His sister appeared at his side, smiling as well.

"You were wrong," she stated a matter-of-factly.

"And why is that?" he questioned, elation filling his body as he realized he'd be able to race.

"Because Danny said so," she replied, skipping off to her mother as she tried to calm her down when she couldn't locate her keys. Elliot's mind began to race as he contemplated the meaning of his sister's words. Perhaps Danny was coming around. He pulled out his white DS from his pocket and hurried into the study. He needed to review the Special Cup before his race came around.

***PB***

The waves slowly rose and fell across the gulf. The sand scrunched under her bare feet, and she knelt down to embrace the water brushing across her toes. She smiled under the clouds, hiding the sun from her face. She then remembered her captain's interview and dried her hands on her shirt before pulling out her cell phone.

"I must say, your grandfather is quite eccentric," Jason answered suddenly.

"And why is that?" Charlotte replied, kicking the water with her sandy feet.

"He asked if I would be wearing stilettos for the first day of work, which I start tomorrow."

"Oh good, you got the job!" she exclaimed.

"Did you have any doubts?"

"About the interview or you in general?" she fired back, grinning.

Jason scoffed. "Nice to know you've got faith in me. I do appreciate that."

She shrugged absently. "We're siblings, we're not supposed to be supportive 24/7. We'd then be more eccentric than my grandpa." Their Mario laughed in agreement. "But I am glad you got the job. You'll need it the way your racers have been competing. I'll give it to Danny, but when Connor wants to win he doesn't show mercy."

"I've noticed that. I haven't spoken with either in a while it seems like, but as long as Danny's showing up I won't complain." He searched through his fridge and pulled out ham and cheese slices, excited that he finally had food to fix.

"It feels like it's been a while since we've had a group meeting. I hope we're not drifting apart," Charlotte mused jokingly.

"We're already spread out over 3,000 miles. I don't think we can distant ourselves any further. Should we get together tonight? Just to give a pep talk?"

Charlotte smiled, splashing again. "Yes, the team definitely needs to hear your hollow words of encouragement before we discover how we fared for the City Cup."

"Hollow my ass. I mean the words I say," he argued as he prepared his sandwich. Charlotte laughed wholeheartedly as Jason spoke again. "I'll arrange a meeting tonight. Thanks for the job, by the way. There's no way I could've gotten through a thirty second interview without some persuasion. See you soon." He hung up shortly after.

She slowly tucked her phone away, her lips tugging slightly. "Thirty seconds? That's the longest interview he's ever given, Captain." She returned to the water, kicking up more sand with her toes.


End file.
